Author: Higher Things

Paul Norris

This is a question I pondered recently when a non-denominational friend of mine and I were discussing contemporary music in church and he asked me if I had ever been to a Third Day concert. I replied to him that I had not, and then he proudly proclaimed to me, “You need to go to a Third Day concert. It’s like going to church.” Trying not to offend his sensibilities I quietly responded, “Yeah… I don’t think that going to a Christian rock concert is going to church.” He then asked me, “What is going to church to you?” I quickly responded in standard Lutheran sentiment and fired off, “Word and sacrament.” This answer, of course, makes sense to me, but my friend quickly retorted, “Sacraments are things that people do.” It became clear to me that there were some deep misunderstandings between us about what “church” is really all about, and what the true nature of the sacraments is.

I think a lot of the disconnect happens because the word “sacrament” is so closely associated with the Roman Catholic Church (RC), and often evangelicals have a knee-jerk reaction against it. While this desire to distance themselves from anything RC is understandable, it’s not wholly correct. As it stands right now the RC church has seven sacraments: Communion, Confirmation, Confession, Baptism, Marriage, Holy Orders, and the Anointing of the Sick. However, in Lutheran theology, there are only three: Confession and Absolution, Baptism, and Communion.

I would like to address my friend’s statement that “Sacraments are things that people do” first before I circle around and return to the initial question of “What is church?” It reminded me of a common criticism of the Lutheran faith—that we are somehow “Catholic-lite” and we “do things” (sacraments) in order to earn our salvation. Absolutely nothing about that statement or mindset could be further from the actual truth about the sacraments. We hold the Holy Scriptures to be God’s Word and it clearly says in Ephesians 2:8-9 that we cannot earn salvation through works: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” This we firmly believe.

The sacraments are not about what we, the congregation, are doing. Instead it is centered on what God is doing for us. Our only point of participation in the sacraments—whether it be baptism, absolution, or communion—is to receive the sacrament. In the sacraments, God tangibly touches us here on earth. In Holy Baptism we feel the water and, combined with the Word of God, we receive the forgiveness of sins and are made children of God. In confession and absolution, we confess our sin and, combined with God’s Word, we hear and receive the absolution for our sins from our Savior Jesus Christ. In the Lord’s Supper, with God’s Word spoken and in the real presence of Christ in, with and under the bread and wine, we receive the blessings Christ in the elements.

There is a key component to the sacraments that perhaps you already caught onto here: God’s Word. Without God’s Word, these things—water, absolution, bread and wine—mean nothing. It is only when combined with God’s Word that these things become sacraments. It is not anything the pastor is doing, it is nothing that the congregation is doing, but God, and only God working through His Word.

The Holy Spirit works exclusively through the Word and the Word in the Sacraments to give faith and salvation as we see in Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

I think Romans 10:17 is particularly important because it clearly states that faith is not generated by the person, but rather by the Holy Spirit who generates faith from the very words of Christ. Without the words of Christ preached there can be no faith. It is in the Word and Sacraments that the Holy Spirit delivers all the gifts and treasures of our Lord Jesus, His blood, His righteousness, His forgiveness and eternal life, and all of our joy and comfort and peace.

This is why I have a hard time agreeing with the claim that a Christian rock concert is somehow “church.” True, Matthew 18:20 says, “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” It does not say where two or more are gathered in my name they are having church. When I pray with my buddies over a Dallas Stars pre-hockey game meal, we are gathered in Christ presence, but we are not having church.

The preaching of the Word and receiving of God’s sacraments is not only an ancient tradition of the church, but an integral part of the Divine Service. The more appropriate translation of the German “Gottesdienst” is “God’s Service,” to us sinners through His Word and sacraments. The bottom line is that there is no substitute for the rightful preaching of God’s Word, and God’s Word alone. Nothing is more comforting and satisfying to us wretched wicked, sinful people than being convicted by the law and then set free and redeemed in Christ by the preaching of His Gospel. This continues when we receive God’s blessings in the sacraments, through which we are brought everlasting comfort.

Paul Norris worked for ten years as a police officer, and now works as an administrative assistant at Faith Lutheran Church in Plano, Texas.

Rev. Gaven Mize

It was cold down there. Or at least I assume it was. From the beginning of time water was meant to sustain life. I know this now. But, I didn’t know it then. Had I even tried to search? Did I even care to look? Had I been aware would I have even sought out that which is so desperately needed? I doubt it. I didn’t even know how to feed myself. Didn’t know how to clean myself, so what hope did I have in saving myself? Rationality wasn’t even on the radar for me. I don’t recall it. But I’m reminded of it daily now.

There I was in the midst of dry bones. There, I hit rock bottom. I was dead. Who, dear God, who could raise these bones? I was damned. I was ruined.

I wasn’t alone in the journey, so to speak. There were many bones that once lay where I lay. Yet, there was no one to be found at the bottom. There was only death there. Who would dare to come keep me company in my worst hour of life? Who would snatch me from within the basin to make me renewed? Who would grant me a life worth not damning? Who?

So, there I was. I was bones in the bottom of the basin. The man in the robes spoke the words and the water was poured over me. But still, there was Someone there that day and in that basin: Christ. While I was dying in the waters of baptism there stood a cross before my eyes, though I couldn’t even think for myself. I died. I died the death of Jesus, yet it was He who brought me out of the water.

And now, having had my bones laid at the bottom of the font, I have been raised to new life. How could water do such wonderful things? But that’s just it; it wasn’t the water alone, but the water with the Word of God and the faith now granted to me that I could trust the very Word and water that put me to death.

Dark was the way, yet Christ preceded me. And now He spreads a table where He feeds me with His Body and His Blood. The hymn is right: “Christ preceded me in this death I have died.” Now a look down on the font as a risen saint of God. And that’s it. I have been resurrected in His resurrection. I’m new.

The bones that laid at the bottom of the font have, because of Christ’s death, grown sinew and muscle. New flesh has been grafted to the once dead body. The horror of it all; the beauty of it all. And now I stand as a forgiven saint and proclaim what has happened and I can’t go to the altar enough, for this new body hungers for the food that the Savior gives—Body and Blood for me that I would have part in Christ.

I was dead. Now, I am alive. I am baptized.

Rev. Gaven M. Mize serves as pastor at Augustana Lutheran Church, Hickory, North Carolina.

Rev. Michael Keith

Amen. That’s a strange way to begin an article isn’t it? That’s how we end something rather than begin, right? Saying “amen” is kind of like adding a period to the end of a sentence. When we say it in church it’s as if we’re saying, “Okay, that’s done, what’s next?”

Except it’s not.

Saying “amen” is so much more. In fact, saying “amen” is a bold confession of faith and trust.

The liturgy of the Church provides us many opportunities to say “amen.” Maybe you haven’t known how important this little word is to us in our life of faith.

The Divine Service begins with the Invocation. The name of God is spoken—the same name that was placed upon us in Holy Baptism. We are reminded that we are God’s forgiven and beloved children and we respond…. “Amen.” You say “amen” because you are confessing that you believe that what Jesus did in and through the waters of Holy Baptism is for you. You are confessing that you believe you are a forgiven and beloved child of God because Jesus has declared you to be so in the waters of Holy Baptism.

Then we kneel at the cross and confess our sin. We confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We say “amen” to God’s righteous verdict that we are sinful and deserve His present and eternal punishment. We don’t deny it. We don’t hide it away. We confess it and lay it at the foot of the cross. “Amen” means “Yes, this is true about me.”

We then lift our eyes to see Jesus speak His absolving Word through His called and ordained servant. We hear that Jesus forgives all our sins. We hear the absolution pronounced to us as if Christ Himself speaks and we say gratefully “amen.” It is true, by the grace of God, it is true, I am forgiven. “Amen.”

We then join our hearts in prayer in the ancient words of the Kyrie, the Gloria in Excelsis and the Collect prayer and make those our prayers by saying “amen” at the end.

After hearing the Word of God read and preached we join in confessing the Christian Faith in the words of one of the ancient Creeds of the Church. We make that confession shared by countless Christians through the centuries our own confession today as we speak it and say “amen.”

We join in the Prayers of the Church and pray for all the people of God and for all people in any need. We make the prayers spoken at the altar by the pastor our prayer as we say “amen.”

When you kneel at the altar and the pastor says to you: “The true body of Christ, given for you” you say “amen” because you believe it! When the pastor says “The true blood of Christ, shed for you” you say “amen” because you believe Jesus did shed His blood for you! And you say “amen” because you believe that in the mystery of the Holy Supper you are receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus! When you are dismissed from the altar with the blessing and told to depart in peace you say “amen” because you believe that you do have peace because God is at peace with you for Jesus’ sake.

At the end of the Service the Benediction is spoken over you and you are again given peace—the peace that comes from knowing that you have been forgiven. The peace that comes from knowing that you are loved. The peace that comes from knowing that Jesus has done all things well for you and that you have been assured eternal life. You say “amen” because you believe the promises of God are for you because Jesus says so!

So, you see, that little word “amen” is not a throw away word. It is not a word that is simply the way we signal the end of a sentence. No! It is a bold word of confidence and trust. It is THE word of faith. Saying “amen” is like shouting “I trust what Jesus says is true! I believe this!”

Jesus says you are forgiven. Jesus says you are a part of the family of God. Jesus says you have eternal life. We may not always understand it. We may not have any special “spiritual” feelings. We may not grasp how the Lord can continue to be so gracious and merciful to sinners like us. But I believe it because Jesus has declared it so. Amen.

Rev. Michael Keith serves as pastor at St. Matthew Lutheran Church and SML Christian Academy in Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada. He can be reached at keith@st-matthew.com.

Rev. Tim Radkey

“Lead us not into temptation.” This is a petition of the Lord’s Prayer that we pray daily. We pray that the Spirit may lead us away from temptations and prayerfully hope that we will, in God’s power and strength, not be overcome by the temptations we face.

God does make clear that we are all susceptible to the same temptations. God does make clear that He will not let us be tempted beyond our ability. God does make clear that for every temptation, there is an exit provided for the baptized–that we may be able to withstand it (1 Corinthians 10:12-13).

There are three temptations recorded, among the many Jesus faced after His baptism, in St. Luke 4:1-13. The second temptation often captures our attention when thinking about temptation. The devil leads Jesus to Jerusalem. Jesus follows where the devil leads. This is something we must realize only Jesus can do. Our flesh is too weak to follow the devil where he leads and come away unstained by sin. Sadly, the devil’s voice sounds very familiar–like our own–and sometimes we cannot distinguish between the two. This is most certainly true for us. This is most certainly not true of Jesus.

Origen was an early church father from the 3rd century. He speaks to Jesus’ following the devil to be tempted. What he says about Jesus is something we could never say about ourselves. Jesus is able to face temptation in a way we never could, for we are sinful and He is sinless.

Origen describes Jesus’ strength in this way, “Lead on where you will. Test me as it pleases you. I give myself willingly to be tried. I endure what you bring against me. I offer myself for any of your temptations. You will find that I am stronger in every way.” Jesus is able to face and conquer any temptation of the devil. In the cross Jesus demonstrates His ability to conquer the effects of sin, death, and the devil upon the world. The words of Origen are not a call for us to sturdy ourselves to take on the devil; rather, these words remind us we are not Jesus and we are left to cling solely to the cross of Christ and His resurrection on our behalf. Our strength against temptation is our baptism into Christ and Jesus’ absolution and body and blood given us to eat and drink. These gifts give to us Jesus’ victory over the devil, temptation, and sin.

“Lead us not into temptation.” This is the prayer Jesus gives us to pray. May we continue to pray this prayer and always look for the escape God has provided from the temptations we face. Lord, in Your mercy forgive, strengthen, save, and deliver us from all evil and when we fall prey to temptation, may Your Spirit lead us to turn from our sins to the forgiveness Your cross delivers to sinners.

Rev. Tim Radkey serves at Our Savior Lutheran Church, McKinney Texas.

Rev. Dr. Jonathan Charles Naumann

“Unless I see…I will not believe” was the notorious position of Doubting Thomas (John 20:25). Yet, such a stance is more popular now than ever. “Seeing is believing” has taken the place of traditional faith that, is “drawn to the love of those things which are not seen.”

Yet, Jesus’ reply to Thomas was, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Among the reasons why Christ would say such a thing, is the fact that God values faith (belief) so highly, that He is unwilling to reveal Himself in a way that would render faith unnecessary. With regard to human beings, our trust in His word is as important to God as our free will was, when He first created us.

Hence what theologians call the Deus absconditus–the way God chooses to hide Himself from our physical senses–so that faith in Him can be necessary. God does this in many ways.

God has so ordered the universe, that the miracle of its existence is hidden beneath a veil of material causation–so much so, that many a scientist fails to see His divine hand at work in it. He has so ordered the human body, so that the divinely revealed “soul/spirit”‘ in us is hidden. For example, a soul does not need an optic nerve to see (Luke 16:23). Blind people, during NDEs (near death experiences) report enjoying 20-20 vision, while their soul was separated from their defective body. Yet, the soul is normally required to make use of faulty biological mechanisms, like the brain, effectively hiding the miracle of God in what appears to be material functionality.

The single most complex entity in the known universe is the human being in general and the human brain in particular. Yet, however bafflingly amazing the human being is, unbelievers from Charles Darwin to Richard Dawkins still attempt to explain us in purely materialistic terms.

The most momentous example of God hiding His glory from our senses is the wonder of His almighty, eternal Son in the flesh. John Wesley famously described the incarnation with the words “Veiled in flesh the Godhead see. Hail the incarnate deity.” Yet, having people see the Son of the Living God looking like an ordinary Jewish guy is not exceptional for God. Rather, it is the norm. Above all, this strategy was necessary or else Christ would not have been sacrificed for our redemption. “None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:8).

And so it goes; God’s Word and sacraments, like our crucified and risen Savior, are so easily despised and scorned, yet so full of miraculous power to save those who believe (Romans 1:16). Luther once said of Holy Baptism: “All that the mortal eye beholds is water as we pour it. Before the eye of faith unfolds the power of Jesus’ merit” (LSB 406).

Let us pray. Father in Heaven, in many ways, You veil much from human eyes, that would render faith unnecessary. We thank You that faith can include the precious and comforting gifts of assurance and conviction about the reality of things ‘not seen’, through the power of Your Spirit working through Your word and sacraments. Amen.

Rev. Dr. Jonathan Charles Naumann, lives in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. He was a career missionary who served in Great Britain.

Karina Pellegrini

In the garden of Eden, a perfect place teeming with life, the man and woman walked: pure, unashamed and content. Lucifer waited in the trees, disguised as a serpent. So soon after man’s creation, Satan was prepared to deceive and cause their death and separation from God. Satan’s master plan was death and hell for all humans–the damning of the entire earth and for God’s creation to fail. Cunningly and smoothly, he coaxed the woman closer to the fruit.

Satan knew that if the woman ate of the tree, she would die. In doing so, she would end her race and damn herself and her husband to hell. As they ate of the fruit, Satan was certain his plan worked. As their eyes were opened, they experienced shame at their nakedness, and shame for their actions. They became preoccupied with only self, being like God in the way that they now knew good and evil.

When God found them hiding in the garden, His kindness and mercy shone in full force. Our Creator was patient and loving towards His creation, which was still so new and young. Asking them three separate questions, He extracted the truth, that His beloved creation had been tempted and sinned against Him.

Turning to the Serpent, God cursed him, “Curse are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.”

God then disciplined the man and the woman. Pain was first mentioned in Genesis 3:16, when God told the woman, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe, with painful labor you will give birth to children.”

To the man, God said, “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat from it all the days of your life.”

But the story didn’t end there. God did not abandon His creation nor did His love ever waver. Satan’s plan did not account for the immense love God has for His creation and His willingness to sacrifice Himself for our salvation from death and hell.

From God there came a redeeming promise (Genesis 3:15): the restoration of Eve’s womb for life and not death. Before God spoke to His now-sinful creation, He said to the Serpent, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head and you will strike his heel.”

Through Eve’s womb now held a piece of the promise of salvation. From her womb would come the Savior of the world–the one who would carry the burden of the sins of every person to ever live, who would redeem our fallen race from the clutches of Satan and carry us to Heaven to be with Him forever. Amen. Yes, yes, it shall be so!

Karina Pellegrini is a member at Messiah Lutheran Church in Marysville, Washington.

Rev. Eric Brown

Son of man, can these bones live? – Ezekiel 37:3

I know that Easter is supposed to be a time of great and utter joy. And it is. It’s just that when Easter comes, there can sometimes be a…let’s call it a lack of energy in the old Brown household–at least when it comes to me. After Lent and Holy Week, I’m beat. If I had my druthers, we’d name the week after Easter “Couch Week” and expect all pastors to just sit and binge watch Netflix shows or sports.

I’m only partially joking. Easter 2–Quasimodo Genti–the week after Easter is one of the most common weeks for pastors to take off. It’s weak week. It’s the week when I don’t want to do anything. And it’s a great week. In the old 1-year lectionary we get Ezekiel and the Dry Bones from Ezekiel 37:1-14. Ezekiel sees a valley full of skeletons, bleached white by the sun–the remains of a battle fought long ago. And God asks Ezekiel a simple question, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

According to all sense and reason, according to all normal expectations in the world, the answer should be no. This is beyond Bones McCoy on Star Trek saying, “He’s dead, Jim.” They are already just bones. No more skin, no more flesh. Gone. But Ezekiel doesn’t answer according to the normal expectations of the world. “O LORD God, You know.” Well God, I wouldn’t expect them to, but since You’re asking the question, there’s probably something that You know–something You plan that isn’t what the world would expect.

And God tells Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones, to speak the Word of God to them, and to declare to them that they shall live. And it’s a great narrative in Ezekiel 37: There’s zeal, there’s urgency. Go read it, but when you read it, read God’s lines in it with passion, with urgency. God’s doing something exciting here; He’s not bored with it. It’s making His day. Those bones rise.

And God promises resurrection, both now in life and also eternally. God promises to breathe life into people, to restore people, to open our graves and raise us. And the kicker: “I have spoken, and I will do it.”

It doesn’t matter if I’m weak. It doesn’t matter if I’m worn out and drained. It doesn’t even matter if I am not only dead tired but even if I am literally dead. God has spoken, and God will do it. You see, it doesn’t revolve around me and my energy; it doesn’t revolve around what you can bring to the table. God has spoken, and God does it.

The beauty of Easter isn’t just that someday God will do something cool. It isn’t just that someday things will be better. No–God is active, even when (especially when) I am weak and worn and can’t do a thing. He gives life, even when we are at our weakest and lowest and worst. Even the week after Easter. Even the week after the party, after the celebration, even the week when things are at their worst. Christ Jesus the Lord has spoken life to you. In fact, He’s washed you in it in your baptism, and fed you the Resurrection and the Life in His Supper. The world might see a weak, dried up mess; God knows what is up. He lives, and so do you. He has spoken; He will do it.

Rev. Eric Brown is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Herscher, Illinois.

Josh Radke

In the Marvel cinematic universe, Thor is a prince granted the unique vocation of “ruler of Asgard.” This authority is established outside of himself by Odin, his father, by way of the enchanted hammer, Mjolnir: “Whoever is worthy to wield the hammer, may rule Asgard.”

When Paul needed to legitimize his authority as an apostle, he did so based solely on an authority outside of himself: that he had seen and heard the resurrected Christ (I Corinthians 9:1). But the resurrection is not just an authoritative fact of history, or a mere doctrine in which we place our hope. Jesus’ bodily resurrection by God in actual history underwrites the whole Christian faith as the one true religion; it is a truth affirmed by tens of thousands of martyrs, both apostolic and laypeople.

When Paul needed to comfort the Corinthians regarding the severe burden of persecution for the sake of the Gospel, he did so by presenting God as their (and our) exclusive provider of true salvation, because He is the LORD of the resurrection: “Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” (2 Corinthians 1:9) That bears repeating: Braced by the Holy Spirit, we remain steadfast in faith, because we have a God who raises the dead.

When Paul famously preached to the Greeks in Athens, the primary topic was the resurrection of Jesus and all Christians. St. Luke reports at the end of Acts 17, “And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, ‘We will hear you again on this matter.'” It was the resurrection they wanted to hear more about–not just that of our LORD’s, but of the dead, as we confess in the Apostle’s Creed. St. Luke continues: “So Paul departed from among them. However, some men joined him and believed…” It was the teaching of the resurrection that the Holy Spirit used to convert these men. They heard about the resurrection of the body unto life everlasting and they could not get enough.

Neither should we. And I daresay that if we cannot get enough of this teaching, then there are tens of thousands outside our doors who cannot get enough of it either, and may well not get nearly enough as they should. St. Paul writes to the Romans (8:22-25), “For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.”

The key to the Gospel preached by the Apostles was the resurrection; immortality, with glorified bodies, made for the new creation with the Triune God, was what kept the early Christians enduring and long-suffering in faith. It was what kept the lamps of their faith burning brightly, doing good works for their neighbors to the glory of our Father in heaven, despite the severe persecution, hard labor, and unjust martyrdom. The words of the Creed that the afflicted and martyred had on their lips–“the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting”–were the last words many of them spoke before being called from this world to their place at the throne of God–words of confident hope to themselves and their brothers and sisters suffering with them. They were also the last words heard by many of those executing or reveling in the injustices cast upon them–words that the Holy Spirit surely used to draw hearts to the Crucified One, according to accounts from that period.

In the Large Catechism, Luther wrote, “For consider, if there were somewhere a physician who understood the art of saving men from dying, or, even though they died, of restoring them speedily to life, so that they would thereafter live forever, how the world would pour in money like snow and rain, so that because of the throng of the rich no one could find access! But here in Baptism there is brought free to every one’s door such a treasure and medicine as utterly destroys death and preserves all men alive. Thus we must regard Baptism and make it profitable to ourselves, that when our sins and conscience oppress us, we strengthen ourselves and take comfort and say: Nevertheless, I am baptized; but if I am baptized, it is promised me that I shall be saved and have eternal life, both in soul and body.” (VI, 43-44)

Consider verses from some of our most beloved hymns:

Soar we now where Christ has led;
Following our exalted Head.
Made like Him, like Him we rise;
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies.
(LSB #469 “Christ the Lord is Risen Today”, v.5)

When from the dust of death I rise
To claim my mansion in the skies,
E’en then, this shall be all my plea:
Jesus hath lived and died for me.
(LSB #563 “Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness”, v. 5)

But, lo, there breaks a yet more glorious day;
The saints triumphant rise in bright array;
The King of Glory passes on His way.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
(LSB #677 “For All the Saints”, v. 7)

And here is one of our oldest–from between the 4th and 7th centuries:

Now no more can death appall,
Now no more the grave enthrall;
You have opened paradise,
And your saints in you shall rise.
Alleluia!
(LSB #633 “At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing”, v. 6)

The ages of the church bear out: When all things are boiled down to their essence, it is the resurrection of our body, by God–with Christ Jesus as the first-fruits–upon which we place the sure hope of our faith. That is what it means to be ‘an Easter people’. That is the joy we take into our mouths in the Holy Communion of our LORD’s Body and Blood–the joy located and sealed for us in our Holy Baptism, because the resurrection of Jesus means God has accepted the ultimate sacrifice upon the altar of the cross. It means we will be resurrected unto the same eternal life, as was our LORD and divine Brother. Truly, truly, this is our witness; this is our joy.

Josh Radke is deacon at Hope Lutheran Church in Bangor, Maine, and is awaiting acceptance to Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary–St. Catharine’s Ontario. He is also the author of the historical-fantasy novel, Stitched Crosses: Crusade.